Fluid filled breast cysts - issues

[Surfergal]

Had my mammogram two weeks ago 3 views. each breast, same gal as last year - said the xrays came out very clear and sent me home-easy/fast. I have a history of getting fluid filled cysts every other year - I have had the same local doctor for 8+ years, but my insurance changed two years ago when I got a new job (now unemployed but same insurance thru cobra), so most of my earlier cyst testing had been done at another facility approved by my previous insurance. Last years mammo at the new place was ok. No issues. This year, I knew from the soreness that I had cysts again. My routine previously always was, get reg. mammo, if cysts (3 times previously) showed, then go for ultasound, if they were fluid, as they always were, then I was sent to have a needle aspiration under ultrasound at another location.

I got a card from my doctor saying "more views needed" on bottom of card and on top of card said "ultrasound recommended" - call facility and make appt. ASAP. When I called, I thought I had an ultrasound appt,
But they had scheduled me for another mammo - more views. I could clearly see the cysts on the full xrays from two weeks ago that the gal had up to help locate where to do the new "localized" views. these were "close up" xrays - had a much smaller plate and required smashing my boobs only where the painful cysts were. because she was just guessing at the location based on my newest full breast xrays - I had 3 views done on one side and two more done on the other. then they called me back in for three more views, and then they called me back in again for 3 more views. My breasts were exceptionally sore by then. Then the radiologist recommended ultrasound. Since they had not made an UltraSound appt. I had to wait almost two hours there until they could "squeeze" me in and get insurance ok. The ultrasound tech was clearly annoyed that she had to squeeze me in, that I had to wait - she thought they had a stupid process they had. Then she had issues with the paperwork, then with the new 3D machine - each time she found the cyst on each breast- she had to leave the room and started over again when she came back. I told her I had a history of fluid filled cysts - she said they did look to be fluid filled. It hurt each time she had to try to relocate them when she came back in to me. I have never had to have this many mammo or ultrasound "pressings" ever before. The tech was going on and on about the new 3D ultrasound machines being so clear that they would replace reg mammograms in the near future there.

So why did they make me go for in for all the extra painful mammo views when I had history and the cysts were clear (to even me) on the orig. xrays?? especially after hearing that the new 3D ultrasound machines were so "good"? Is this milking the system again?? do they not realize how freakin painful this can be? Isn't this a lot of xrays??? Has anyone else gone thru all this extra crap before?

Also, a friend recently told me that her Dr. had recommened vitamin E when she had fluid filled cysts and as long as she took E - no more cysts. when she stopped, they came back. I have not found anything about this "therapy" on this online. Anyone heard of this? all I get is the crap about eliminating caffein, which has never been proven from what I have read and I switched long ago to decaf coffee and teas.

[pepperpot]

Not a clue....but good luck....:hug

[lucimPI]

That is alot of mammo's for something they already saw on the first one. I am beginning to think that many of the extra tests that are done - are done for the money only. Just from some health issues I have had, I now question and complain. I have to have a procedure done about every 3 months and the office staff will not make an appointment unless I see the doctor. Well, I told them that I would NOT come in, all I do is go in and sit about 45 minutes to get ushered into the doctor's office, he asks what am I there for, I tell him an appointment for the procedure and he tells the gal to make me an appointment. This last time when I told the staff that I would not be coming into the office, it was a waste of time and money, they said they would have to talk to the doctor, doctor said there was not reason for me to come and make the appointment for me. I guess sometimes it does good to open one's mouth.

[hesnothere]

Also, a friend recently told me that her Dr. had recommened vitamin E when she had fluid filled cysts and as long as she took E - no more cysts. when she stopped, they came back. I have not found anything about this "therapy" on this online. Anyone heard of this? all I get is the crap about eliminating caffein, which has never been proven from what I have read and I switched long ago to decaf coffee and teas.

I found this

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/15/61.cfm

Vitamin E encourages the cysts to drain and helps the blood and lymph systems to carry excess fluids away from the cysts. Its use to eliminate breast cysts is backed up by numerous clinical studies from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, the Boston School of Medicine and various other medical institutes.

[Kelsey1224]

I swear...if they screened for testicular cancer the way they screen for breast cancer...you can be sure that someone would invent a less painful way of doing it!!!

Sorry you have had to go through this. I had a period of three years where I was getting mammos every 6 months because of cysts in my left breast. I'm now on a yearly cycle again and I am thankful that I have insurance to cover this preventative procedure...but criminy...it hurts.

[Rustysmom]

Surfer I also went through almost the exact situation as you. The only difference was that after all that pain they did find a small cancer mass. It was so tiny nobody else who looked at the films could believe they had found it. Turned out that after surgery they found it was a grade three cancer..very agressive! If they hadn't found it when they did and I had waited for the following year for my yearly exam, it would have surely gone into my nodes. I needed chemo and radiation but now am cancer free. So sometimes it's good they are putting us through all this pain.